Building Briefs – February 23rd

Kingdom completes consultation into £6m Cupar affordable housing plan

Kingdom Housing Association has completed a major exercise in community consultation over its proposals to develop 49 affordable houses at Pitscottie Road in Cupar.

Having secured planning consent in principle in April last year, the Association began consulting on its detailed proposals last September. This involved several community meetings, which concluded last week, when specific proposals for safe pedestrian access around the Tarvit Avenue/ Pitscottie Road junction were discussed with local residents.

Representing an investment of £6 million by the Scottish Government, Fife Council and Kingdom Housing Association, the development will provide a mix of single and two-storey homes, ranging from 1 to 4 bedrooms.

The aim is to help meet a range of needs for affordable rented homes from single people, families, older people, and those with particular needs. The Association’s rigorous standards provide low energy use; attractive and accessible design; and a secure environment.

It is also the Association’s intention to promote wider community benefits through developing projects with local schools and establishing a construction training initiative.

New homes planned for Bonnington

The WBG Partnership has submitted plans for a brownfield residential development of 80 apartments at West Bowling Green Street, Edinburgh.

Drawn up by EMA the six storey apartment block will form part of a wider masterplan for the area.

Flats plan emerges for Broughty Ferry villa

H&H Properties are progressing plans to convert the C-listed Armistead House and Lodge, Broughty Ferry, into 26 new homes to designs by the Voigt Partnership.

Currently on the Buildings at Risk Register, Armitstead House would be sensitively restored, with a later 1930’s extension demolished to allow two flanking ‘bookend’ apartment blocks built whilst maintaining views to communal gardens.

Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons set for expansion

SasanBell have been appointed to lead the refurbishment of the St Vincent Street headquarters of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, following their success in an invited competition.

Internal alterations will improve circulation in the main building, originally built as four terraced homes, in addition to refurbishment of newly purchased accommodation on Blythswood Square, both of which are B-listed.

The work will allow the college to accommodate planned growth whilst continuing to serve as a venue for conferences, banquets whilst preserving a historic library and lecture theatre.

Hardies move to new Corn Exchange now imminent

Hardies Property & Construction Consultants in Dalkeith, currently based at South Street, is weeks away from its relocation to the historic Grade A Listed Dalkeith Corn Exchange, where it will set up a new administrative hub and enjoy a new state of the art internet phone system.

Having been redeveloped by Melville Housing Association, who themselves are moving into the building this week, the Corn Exchange will provide an enlarged museum space for the Dalkeith History Society, a Board Room available for community meetings and events.

Green light for Cairngorms hotel refurb project

Approval has been granted for a hotel refurbishment project in Cairngorms National Park.

The historic Braemar’s Fife Arms Hotel is set to undergo a ‘major’ upgrade after securing planning permission from the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA).

Owners Highlands Hospitality (HHL) are seeking to remodel and refurbish the B-listed building.

Major internal and external alterations will take place, along with the demolition of 20th century extensions and the addition of a heather roofed courtyard.

The newly refurbished Fife Arms will re-open in early 2018.

Scottish Govt provides £1.5m boost for Irvine plant expansion

First minister Nicola Sturgeon has revealed £1.5 million of funding is available for a pharmaceutical company to expand their plant in Irvine.

GlaxoSmithKline is extending their facility to meet growing demand, with more than £200m invested at their sites in Irvine and Montrose since 2013.

It is thought the scheme will create 55 extra new jobs.

Green light for housing plans for Dundee bar

Plans to convert a former Dundee pub into a block of flats have been given the go-ahead.

Dundee City Council has granted planning permission to Archid Architects’ plans to turn the former Sinatra’s Bar in King Street into 12 properties on behalf of King Street Developments Ltd.

Sinatra’s, a pub which was situated in a Category B listed building, had been open for nearly three decades before closing its doors for the last time in April 2011.

The proposed conversion would comprise a range of properties from a studio flat to a seven-bedroom townhouse, plus a small commercial unit suitable for shop or office use.

Bar, restaurant and flats could transform former Edinburgh church

Plans to convert a former church into a restaurant and bar in Edinburgh city centre will be discussed by councillors this week.

Developer Glendola Leisure wants to transform the grade B-listed Charlotte Baptist Chapel on Rose Street into a venue with serviced apartments.

Members of the city council’s development management sub-committee will consider the proposals on Wednesday.

The application, which has been recommended for approval, proposes a restaurant on the ground floor and a basement bar. The two floors would have a customer capacity of 236, while there would be 22 separate flats.

Glendola Leisure already operates nearby venues Angel’s Share on Hope Street and Le Monde on George Street.

Bosses at the firm originally tabled controversial proposals to convert the chapel into an Irish-themed Waxy O’Connor’s pub with capacity for 900 drinkers.

The plans were rejected by councillors following strong opposition from residents.

Alternative plans to convert the chapel into a dance and performing arts centre were submitted at the end of last year but they have yet to be discussed by councillors.

Former East Neuk library given new life as a hostel

A new chapter will begin for an East Neuk library when it opens its doors as a hostel next week.

The former Murray Library has been transformed into holiday accommodation and business units for the creative industries.

Already the business units are fully occupied and next Tuesday the Murray Hostel will open to the public and welcome its first guests.

Refurbishment of the distinctive building was a key project in the Anstruther Townscape Heritage Initiative and conservation area regeneration scheme, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland and others.